THE THEATER.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2138, 2 May 1914, Page 9

THE THEATER.

* [BY SVtA'IUS.] Ilie World's a theatre; the Earth a stage,—Hvyweod. "Uncle Tom's Cabin," Hoary old "Uncle Tom's Cabin" ' is tho next dramatic attraction that may be looked for with any certitude. The. ttiiciout molildrftma, with its cabinet of old pictures—'fob, Little Bvft, 'J.'opsy, Legreo, and the Harris family—is to bo reintroduced by a Wilkiiighby Company, beaded by that capable aStor t Mr. Cyi' : ii Maekay (who, by the way, is too polished an actor to bo playing this class of stuff), and Miss X«llic Ferguson, Mr. Mackay plays Harris, and our old friend Mr, Herbert Leigh will raise tears in the gallery as Uncle Torn. After tho ancient slave plaj, whieh will be presented at tho Grand . Opera House on May 13, the cowpauy xvill lapse into modern melodrama <rf tho clamant order.

Premier Holman's Fatter. Mr. William Holm.au, the New South Vales Premier's father, whose work for 25 years in Sydney is to bfl recognised by a testimonial, had a long experience as an actor in the Jinglisli provinces and in Loudon before lie came to Australia. _ He began his career at tlw opening of the Princess Theatre,. Manchester, as Sebastiaii, in "Tho Tempest," and this was followed by a long series of provincial engage* malts as first light comedian and juvenile actor, with Charles Calvert, Wybert lleeve, Charles Kean, and his wife, Charles Dillon, Charles Matthews, Mm®. Modjeska, Amy Haselle, 'Jklrs. Kendall, and. ill's. Seott-Siddons'. In London ho appeared with Miss Herbert at St. James's, Mrs. Swaubownigb at. tiro Strand, F. B. Chatterton at Drtiry L-aiie, and Charles Wyndham at the I'alato, ami Wilson Barrett at the Ccurt and the Princess. Ho Ims impersonated more than CO characters, great and smii.ll, in 18 of tho plays of Shakespeare, and, in addition, has an important repoi'torv in romantic drama to his credit. Ho was with the . Gwigh-Boucicawlt Company in the palmy days of modern comedy "in Assstralia.

The Orange Dandies. • Mr. Edward Branscoinbe's Orange Dandies—a now tint in Dandies by the way—are to coun-nei-ieo a six weeks' sea» : son at the Chamber on Slay 3. This (HjiM'pauy has been appearing; in Adelaide throughout the summer months, irisere their popularity is said to havo exceeded thai of'the talented Reds. The personnel of the new eon)pany is as follow:*—Sliss Ethel Walker, sopraiio ; Miss Naomi M'Quoin, comedienne; Miss Linda, Bradford, contralto j Mr. David Lylt>, tenor; Mr. .Andrew' Pace, tenor and comedian; Mr, Harr.v Webster,, bar 1 -- italic; Mr. Geo, Taylor, light comedian; Mr. Koland Henry, conteaiaft and 1110noioguist;' Mr. Herbert Brahms, pianist j Mr. Arthur Keighley, producer. ... The Orange Dandies frill go north after 'the Wellington season, and are due to leave Wellington on their return to Australia on October <9. Under the i-ttanageiiient of Mr. Br-aiis-combe tii.e "Smart Set" are to tour New Zealand a lit-tlo later in the year, opening at Inveiwgiil in Jroie.

"The Argyio Case." lor "The Arp'lts Case," to be staged ■for t-he first, time in Australia at the Ciitcrau on Saturday next, the 'Williamson management has secured from New- York a new leading man. This is Mr. Charles 'A. Abllward, an English apt or.' 1 who lias beeii' -fourteen years in .America. lie states. that nearly all the English actors ho ever knew .arenow in the United States. "The field thero is so ciiofin&as," lie said, "that it simply absorbs actors. Every hamlet in America has. • -its opera bouse, and the theatres of New York -and Chicago are also very numerous. In both these cities long runs are usual for succcg&cs. It is easy for mi actor to get .lost in all tho territory there- is to bo' played. One Can play nothing but one-night towns for 365 nights in a year, 'and never visit the same twice. When I say 3GD, I mean Sundays as well. Foi'tunatoly,.. my engagements have never resulted in an experience quite-' so terrible. I have, of Course, played' some one-night towns. Anyone, who goes on toitr expects to do that. . The theatrical business in Aftiefiea is universally oniauxser! to an extent unknown to any other country. There are two loading principals, standardising dramatists and si.irs. When a dramatist makes' a. hit with a play is generally signed ui! for his future literary produefs. That, arraicenieni, completed, his nafto slid his play are subject to a publicity campaign. This means that two -future plays are at least siirc- of a- 'curiosity' success. With the -stars 'that the different managers lmve under cantrarit tho publicity is directed at associating them with |their' sueeessds. A sfetr may play in one piece for .years. Somay his supporting . company. Take 'The. Argyio Case' as an esan.jplo'. Sob_ort Milliard is tlw only actor in Americawho h«s played the role of Kajton, which J am to assume here. He could ea on playing that part for the neirt five years in America without exhaust-' ing the field. William IfurMs, t-hc fajnotis American deteetivc,- is the proiot.vpo of Kay ton. Riuns, by the way, is wirt author of 'The.Argylc Case.'"

Tv« Fine Artists Coining, It is only emy three or four years tliiit tlio J, C. Williams® direction imports an English musical ctjmed.y comjmiiy, tire hist example being the group of artists who appeared in "The Chocolate Soldier." Now, however, another group is being formed for "The 6irJ in the T#xi t " which will be headed ivy tho famous English comedian, C. 11. Workman. This artist; who was originally trained as a singer, appeared csdasJvdjr under the Savoy. Theatre .msiiagenwirt frcm his toi'.don debut in 1805 itiit.il 1909, fjttring which tiiuo, from IS9S, he was tliirir'principal coaiftdia.n on tour in* all tho Gilhert-SulUvan' ojioras. Be directed the Savoy Theatre far a year, and tlieu resumed salaried work fit the Lyric Theatre, whore he ercatofl Bum'orli ("Chocolate Soldier"), Ceunt Mas Cliqnot ("Nisht Birds"), ni:<l Mottsteur I'oMarel (I'Gsrl in the. Taxi"). Tlio engagement is thus one of first-rate- i'mlia'tance. Aaother artist who has appeared frequently rit the Savoy Theatre, Miss Mlsic Spain, will make her debuthere in "Gipsy Love" about- the.inicl'dto of tlie year. This soprano-, who lias oulv been on the stage •seven years, sa.n'i'- Elsie Mavnard at tl-w Savoy in 30T3, awl was * the M-aseha with Sir.' Workman at the Lyric, and appeared as the Pi >ne. v. Mathildas in "Tho Quaker Girl" during tlvc run ol that piece at the Ad'elphi.

Notes. The Harry Lauder season in Melbourne is not tho success that was a«ticipatocl, ilioußh "the eniertamtncttt generally is said to te of a high s-iaiul-arrl, ami the orchestra really; ft treat The cause is s.vivl to lie the high prices which rango from 10s. Gel. to 2s. (Into gallery doors). In Sydney Miss Maud AUaii is to appear at the Palare Theatre, and in Mdhoni'M at the King's. She fttll.y realised that it was not advantageous commcfitifig her tour at Dtincdin,, feat eircumstanr.os itiatfe it impossible for her to get theatres hi either Sydney or Mc-1-bourno at the time <liey wore wanted. "What Happene;! to Mary," it quiet dwiwstifi play with an imh'tiiiahiecha.'in. is, being phijud bv the lk-it: liailo.v Company to good business in 5lel» bourne. It is interesting to note, in vie# of the- "success of the. J. C. Williamson Gilbert, sml Sullivai? Opera Company in South, 'Africa, and its forthcoming

season in Australia, that, a. desire is ranking itself minifcst abroad for t-Uo revival of tho Gilbert and Stiljivau works, This lias particularly, niado itself felt in London, where several of the leading papers have been piiMtsiimg articles t>f iato referring *0 tiro keenness of tho public {of a Gilbert and Sullivan revival ami suggesting that the time for .•inch a revival is now ripe, In America, Gilbert and Sullivan opera has proved as jiopjilar as ever. Rccent revivals Ip. Jvesv I'ork were imliiensoly successful Files of the Boston papers to hand by the. last American mail refer to tlio remarkable siiceeS® of the Gilbert- .and Sullivan Company 1 headed hy Do Wolf Hopper, in that -city. Altogether it looks as if there is to be a big reerttdesocnee of the Gilbert and Sullivan boom.

"Tho Forty Thieves''' P'sntemims Company (J. 0. Williamson, Ltd.) is time-tabled to leave Sydney for AW-Ip-tettd on Juiso 24, and will open in thai city oil June 29.

A new opera by Ijinbcrto Giordano, composer of "Andrea. Clwmer/' has •been given in Milan. 'Theneve work is a o.pora named ''s'feyo Mariano,!' and .©mploys no male voices. Tho plot deals with the love «f Cisiirela, a common woman, to he* son, whom slio has p'lacfid is>. a cone, nt so that ke may not mm■ iiV'cofitftCt with the lifo she is lead.' ing. The child dies, but the fact of his death is concealed from tho mother by tlio synipatlietb Sisters.

At a rcceat safe in London' a letter of Clack's fetched 1100 dollars. A signed manuscript of Jiacii letehed l-2'o dollars, and a signed letter by Beethoven was sold for 223 cellars, A letter hv Chopin to his publishei's wont for 100 dollars." An original manuscript of Moaart's containing about twenty-seven bars of music n«4 his autograph brought 123 dollars, and a signed letter of Seiii}hart's sold for 860 dollars..

Owing to tire b«si«?.s wltieh "Madame X," at JfclhOHrno lloyal, and '"NoVfir Say Die," at Sydney Criterion, are'doing,'tho ,T. C. Williamson management have had- to alter their pmns s and' the- transfer of-th.o tw*s eonipanios between the two cities hits been postponed. May 9 will bo the opening date of the Vied Ni-blo Company at Melbourne Theatre Roval, i.ut tlio "Within the Law'* Company will go to Perth and Adelaide prior to going to Sydney with "Madame X." Tho French drama, is having » wonderful season in Melbourne, and is following, in the foot-steps of "Within tho Law"' hy drawing playgoers to .sen it time after time.'

Miss Ada Reeve, the dainty conrody artist, is a.ttraetii]g cnarniouS business to the Melbourne Tivoli.